Record Retention Guide Are you aware of how long a document must be kept before it s destroyed? Below is our guide to document retention:

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1 Are you aware of how long a document must be kept before it s destroyed? Below is our guide to document retention: Suppliers Accounts Cheques/Remittance Advice 6 years Cash Book 10 years Cost Control Ledger Analysis 6 years Invoices Revenue 6 years Invoices Capital 12 years Commercial Purchase Orders Revenue 4 years Audit Purchase Orders Capital 3 years after expiry Audit Quotations Capital 12 years Audit Quotations Revenue 7 years Audit Customs and Excise Returns 6 years VAT Deferments 6 years Assets Ledger Sheet 12 years Consolidated Accounts 12 years Commercial Disposal of Assets 12 years Commercial Annual Depreciation 3 years Audit Sales Records Customer Complaints 7 years Customer Orders 6/12 years after expiry Commercial Customer Enquiries 1 year if unsuccessful Commercial Sales/Journal Entries 12 years /Tax Nominal and Private Ledgers Permanent /Tax Journal Vouchers 3/6 years /Tax Sales Invoices/Credit Notes 6 years Consignment Notes 6 years Outstanding Account Schedule 6 years Statements 2 years Audit Overdue Account Letters Until paid Commercial Project Files 6 years

2 Employee Records Unsuccessful Job Applications 1 year Commercial Medical Records 30 years after expiry Accident Reports Working life of employee Pension Details 10 years after of benefits Payment Changes 6 years /Tax Payroll Control Current plus 6 years /Tax Amed Code Number Notice 6 years Trust Records Permanent Group Health/Personal Accident 12 years after benefit s Staff Personal Records 7 years after termination Company Executive Records 12 years Salary Register 6 years Expense Accounts 7 years /Tax Industrial Training 6 years commercial Wages P45, P58, P48, P6, P60 6 years /Tax Income Tax Pay Details 6 years /Tax Pension Contributions Permanent Commercial National Insurance Contributions 12 years Commercial Schedule of Deductions 6 years Audit Clock Cards 2 years Audit Pay Advice Current plus 1 year Payroll Current plus 6 years Annual Earnings Summary Current plus 12 years Sub-Contractors Documents SC60 etc. 6 years /Tax Other Tax 6 years /Tax National Insurance 6 years Audit/Tax Timesheets etc. 3 years

3 Insurance Policies 12 years after lapse Claims 3 years after settlement Commercial Schedules/Disclosures 12 years Accident Record Book Permanent Public & Product Liability Policies Permanent Cash Records Bank Paying-In Counterfoils 6 years /Tax Cheque/Remittance Advice's 6 years Bank/GIRO Account Statements 6 years Daily Cash Book 6 years Banking Returns 6 years Unpresented Cheque Lists 6 years Bank Reconciliation's 6 years Employees pay receipts 2 years Audit Petty Cash Records Current plus 6 years Main Cash Book Permanent Cash/Cheques Received Current plus 6 years Sheets Petty Cash Returns 6 years Commercial Title Deeds etc. Title Deeds and Property Documents Contracts/Agreements 12 years after interest ceased Under Seal 12 years after expiry Others 6 years after expiry Royalty Payments/Agreements 1 year after expiry

4 Stores Documents Goods Received Register 4 years Audit Inward Invoice Register 6 years Stock Control Records 7 years Transport Records Drivers Log Books 1 year Commercial Other records 2 years after vehicle Commercial disposal Tachographs 3 years Property receipts Leases Architect/Builder agreements Planning Permission Management Information 12 years from lease 6 years from contract 12 years from interest Accounts 6 years Commercial Others 6 years Commercial Trade Mark Papers All related documents Permanent Commercial Expired Patents 12 years "CE" marking details 10 years from cessation of manufacture Quality Records Internal & External Audits 6 years Review Old Procedures and Revisions 6 years Review Management Reviews 6 years Audit Defects & Corrective Action 6 years Review Records Calibration Records 6 years Commercial Others 6 years Commercial

5 Which documents should be securely destroyed? Deping on your particular area of business these documents will vary slightly as some information may be limited to your industry. However there are many common documents that hold sensitive information that should be kept in a secure manner and also destroyed in a secure manner at the of its life. To give you an idea of information that must be kept confidential and therefore must be stored or destroyed in a secure manner we have compiled the following list: HR Files: Application forms & CVs Interview notes Employment contracts Copies of passports & driving licences Name, address, DOB, NI number forms Contact details Medical details Bank account details Ethnic background forms Criminal Records Bureau forms Accounts Details: Payroll details Bank account details including statements Client details Budgets Invoices & receipts Financial reports Supplier information including invoices Contracts Purchase orders Accounts payable/receivable Ex-employee tax records Sales & Marketing Files: (Prospective) Client details Quotes and ters (Prospective) Customer correspondence Out of date brochures or leaflets Out of date business cards Old letterhead paper & compliments slips Targets & business projections Administration: Correspondence Junk mail Reports Schedules Training records Manuals Order information Meeting minutes Job & workload sheets Customer service files Inventory lists Memos Research: Plans, designs & blueprints Lab books Development process papers Specifications Reports Competitive test sheets New product test sheets Other materials: CD & DVDs Video or data tapes ID tags & cards X-rays Microfilm rolls Microfiche & jackets